L. Scott Benson

L. Scott Benson, MD, PhD, MPH

Languages spoken: Spanish, English

Academic Information

Departments Primary - Family & Preventive Medicine

Divisions: Public Health

Academic Office Information

scott.benson@hsc.utah.edu

Scott Benson, MD, PhD, MPH is a Professor in the Division of Public Health, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine. His interest in global health was fostered by his time living in the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico and seeing the impact that environmental health has on human health. This interest in the overlap between Public Health and the environment prompted him into medicine. He completed medical school, an internship/residency in Internal Medicine as well as a fellowship in Infectious Diseases. Since completing his training, he has conducted and continues to participate in research in Ghana, Peru, Pakistan and India. He joined the Divisions of Public Health to focus on Global Health where he teaches, continues to work abroad, consult with infectious disease patients and returning travelers. Outside of the clinic, he continues to work on Global Health Security issues such as antimicrobial resistance, emerging and novel pathogen detection and response and health systems capacity building.

Dr. Benson earned his PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering, emphasis in Environmental Engineering from Utah State University, MD at the University of Utah, MPH in Health Behavior & Society at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Bachelor of Arts in Public Health; Minor: Hispanic Studies at the College of William & Mary. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine and fellowship in Infectious Diseases at the University of Utah.

Education History

Undergraduate Brigham Young University
 BS
Graduate Training University of Utah
 MPH
Doctoral Training Utah State University
 PhD
Professional Medical University of Utah
 MD
Residency University of Utah
 Resident
Fellowship University of Utah
 Fellow

Selected Publications

Journal Article

  1. Coulliette-Salmond A, Whitehill F, Lyons AK, Abera B, Adler C, Walters MS, Medrzycki M, Ganim C, Campbell M, Lin MY, Poretsky RS, Horton A, Weidhaas J, VanDerslice J, Benson LS, Driver EM, Halden RU, Hamilton KA, Williams (2026). Healthcare wastewater surveillance: methodological considerations for sampling, feasibility, and implementation. Journal of water and health, 24(1), 50-64.
  2. Henrie AJ, Atobiloye M, Radmall B, Sorensen QN, Yanagihara A, Ansong D, Sarpong E, Benson LS, Dickerson (2026). Family planning in the Atwima Nwabiagya North District: A follow-up on attitudes and practices. Journal of public health in Africa, 17(1), 1285.
  3. Tajammul A, Benson LS, Ahmed J, VanDerslice J, Tanner W (2025). Detection of Salmonella Typhi and blaCTX-M genes in drinking water, wastewater, and environmental biofilms in Sindh Province, Pakistan. PLoS neglected tropical diseases, 19(4), e0012963.
  4. Aguzzi A, Frost CJ, Singh T, Benson LS, Gren L (2024). Exploring the preferences of traditional versus Western medicine in the Spiti Valley region of India: A qualitative approach. Dialogues in health, 5, 100185.
  5. Apanga PA, Ahmed J, Tanner W, Starcevich K, VanDerslice JA, Rehman U, Channa N, Benson LS, Garn J (2022). Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae in sink drains of 40 healthcare facilities in Sindh, Pakistan: A cross-sectional study. PloS one, 17(2), e0263297.
  6. Palmer T, Benson LS, Porucznik C, Gren L (2022). Impact of COVID-19 Social Distancing Mandates on Gastrointestinal Pathogen Positivity: Secondary Data Analysis. JMIR public health and surveillance, 8(8), e34757.
  7. Fernandez V, Ahmed SM, Graves MC, Pender MA, Shoemaker H, Birich H, Pupaibool J, Benson LS, Leung D (2022). Incidence Rate and Risk Factors Associated with Travelers' Diarrhea in International Travelers Departing from Utah, USA. The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene, 107(4), 898-903.
  8. Pupaibool J, Walaliyadda H, Tasevac B, Brintz BJ, Park IK, Graves M, Benson LS, Hale P, Powell J, Leung D (2021). Travel-Related Behaviors and Health Outcomes of Adolescents Compared with Adults on Short-Term International Service Missions. The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene, 106(1), 345-350.
  9. Keating EM, Robison JA, Chiume M, Taddie M, VanDerslice JA, Benson LS, Fitzgerald E, Crouse HL, Eckerle MD, Ciccone EJ, Porucznik C (2021). Relationship between distance of referring facilities and haemoglobin change in children in Malawi. Paediatrics and international child health, 41(4), 253-261.
  10. Qeadan F, Honda T, Gren LH, Dailey-Provost J, Benson LS, VanDerslice JA, Porucznik CA, Waters AB, Lacey S, Shoaf (2020). Naive Forecast for COVID-19 in Utah Based on the South Korea and Italy Models-the Fluctuation between Two Extremes. International journal of environmental research and public health, 17(8),
  11. Okyere B, Owusu-Ofori A, Ansong D, Buxton R, Benson LS, Osei-Akoto A, Owiredu EW, Adjei C, Xorse Amuzu E, Marfo Boaheng J, Dickerson (2020). Point prevalence of asymptomatic Plasmodium infection and the comparison of microscopy, rapid diagnostic test and nested PCR for the diagnosis of asymptomatic malaria among children under 5 years in Ghana. PloS one, 15(7), e0232874.
  12. Gren LH, Jaggi R, Frost CJ, Benson LS (2018). Ethics of Managing Unintended Consequences in Global Health Research: A Case Study. African Journal of Current Medical Research, 2(2),
  13. Tanner WD, Atkinson RM, Goel RK, Toleman MA, Benson LS, Porucznik CA, VanDerslice J (2017). Horizontal transfer of the blaNDM-1 gene to Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii in biofilms. FEMS microbiology letters, 364(8),
  14. Stevens AM, Esposito DH, Stoney RJ, Benson LS, Maclean J (2017). Clostridium difficile infection in returning travellers. Journal of travel medicine, 2017 May 1(24), 3.
  15. Harris M, Birdsall A, Benson LS, Dickerson T (2017). The Perception and Management of Acute and Chronic Pain in Rural Ghana. Annals of global health, 83(1), 59-70.
  16. Stewart M, Grahmann B, Fillmore A, Benson L (2017). Rural Community Disaster Preparedness and Risk Perception in Trujillo, Peru. Prehospital and disaster medicine, 32(4), 387-392.
  17. Jaziri M, Lyman ME, Benson LS, Dickerson T (2016). The prevalence and correlates of hypertension among rural Ghanaian adults. Annals of global health, 82(3), 426-27.
  18. Green JA, Leiser C, Stewart M, Benson L (2016). Water quality analysis of a nontraditional distribution system in Trujillo, Peru. Annals of global health, 82(3), 443-444.
  19. Zappas K, Fishler A, Benson L (2016). Contraception use in communities surrounding Trujillo, Peru. Annals of global health, 82(3), 573.
  20. Gren LH, Jaggi R, Landward R, Benson LS, Frost C (2016). A Community Health Coach-Delivered Mental Wellness Intervention: Using Mind-Body Bridging to Reduce Health Disparities in Diverse Communities. Pedagogy in health promotion, 3(3), 167-176.
  21. Benson LS, Frost CJ, Gren LH, Jaggi (2015). Assessing Geospatial Barriers in Refugee Resettlement Communities: A Descriptive Exploration about How to Identify the Health and Other Resource Needs of Recently Resettled Refugee Women. Women's health issues, 1(1), 1-7.
  22. Tanner WD, VanDerslice JA, Toor D, Benson LS, Porucznik CA, Goel RK, Atkinson R (2015). Development and field evaluation of a method for detecting carbapenem-resistant bacteria in drinking water. Systematic and applied microbiology, 38(5), 351-7.
  23. Klc TR, Ames S, Ansong D, Benson LS, Dickerson T (2015). Cultural norms, knowledge and attitudes regarding abortion in rural Ghana. Annals of global health, 81(1), 224-225.
  24. Manortey S, Alder S, Crookston B, Dickerson T, VanDerslice J, Benson LS (2014). Social deterministic factors to participation in the National Health Insurance Scheme in the context of rural Ghanaian setting. Journal of public health in Africa, 5(1), 51-56.
  25. Manortey S, VanDerslice J, Alder S, Henry KA, Crookston B, Dickerson T, Benson L (2014). Spatial analysis of factors associated with household subscription to the National Health Insurance Scheme in rural Ghana. Journal of public health in Africa, 5(1), 1-8.
  26. Williams EA, Ansong D, Alder S, Benson LS, Campbell SJ, MacDonald K, Miya TR, Boakye I, Boaheng JM, Amuzu EaX, Owusu OA, Nyanor I, Arhin B, Dickerson T (2014). Silent Crisis: Epidemic Hypertension in Rural West Africa. Journal of hypertension, 2014(3:3),
  27. Ansong D, Tawfik D, Williams EA, Benson LS, Nyanor I, Boakye I, Obirikorang C, Sallah L, Arhin B, Boaheng JM, Amuzu E, Asibey O, Dickerson (2014). Suboptimal vaccination rates in rural Ghana despite positive caregiver attitudes towards vaccination. Journal of vaccines & immunization, 10(14312), 7-15.
  28. Arnold M, VanDerslice JA, Taylor B, Benson LS, Allen S, Johnson M, Keifer J Boakye I, Arhinn B, Crockston BT, Ansong D (2013). Drinking water quality and source reliability in rural Ashanti region, Ghana. Journal of water and health, 11(1), 161-72.
  29. Williams EA, Keenan KE, Ansong D, Simpson LM, Boakye I, Boaheng JM, Awuah D, Nkyi CA, Nyannor I, Arhin B, Alder S, Benson LS, Dickerson T (2013). The burden and correlates of hypertension in rural Ghana: a cross-sectional study. Diabetes & metabolic syndrome, 7(3), 123-8.

Review

  1. Nelson JR, Ess RH, Dickerson TT, Gren LH, Benson LS, Manortey SO, Alder S (2022). Strategies to increase rural maternal utilization of skilled health personnel for childbirth delivery in low- and middle-income countries: a narrative review. Global health action, 15(1), 2058170.
  2. Frost CJ, Morgan NJ, Allkhenfr H, Dearden S, Ess R, Albalawi WF, Berri A, Benson LS, Gren L (2019). Determining Physical and Mental Health Conditions Present in Older Adult Refugees: A Mini-Review. Gerontology, 65(3), 209-215.

Book

  1. Frost CJ, Carlson M, Benson LS, Gren LH Global Research Ethics: Case Studies from International Research Contexts.

Abstract

  1. Benson LS, Goulston C, Schlaberg (2010). Co-Infection with Trypanosoma cruzi and HIV: Clinical Presentation and Diagnostic Considerations.